Informal settlers evicted

Some 37 informal settlers including children were evicted Monday afternoon from a compound in Tandang Sora, Quezon city, which they illegally occupied last Sunday.

Supt. Danilo Mendoza, Quezon City Police District (QCPD) Talipapa Police Station 3 (PS-3) commander, said the informal settlers returned to their former homes at No. 14 Apollo St., Barangay Tandang Sora, Quezon City, after they sought assistance from Kadamay.

The houses of the informal settlers, it was recalled, were demolished on June 16, 2016 by virtue of a court order issued by the Regional Trial Court of Quezon City.

Almost two days after illegally occupying the compound, PS3 operatives led by Supt. Mendoza, Police Supt. Pranada, chief of the QCPD’s District Operations and Planning Division (DOPD), members of the District Public Safety Battalion, Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) and Tactical Motorcycle Riders (TMR) evicted the informal settlers at 5:30 p.m. Monday.

Mendoza said cases for trespassing and grave coercion and malicious mischief will be filed in court against the informal settlers.

Police Chief Supt. Guillermo T. Eleazar, QCPD director, said though they sympathize with the informal settlers, the rule of law must prevail.

“It’s not an issue whether your rich or poor when following the law. The police is just doing its job of enforcing the law,” Eleazar said.

“Anarchy should not prevail (that’s) why we have to decide and act fast. We cannot tolerate people just occupying private properties, delaying it could lead to more supporters, hence possible aggression and violence during dispersal or eviction,” he added.

Eleazar earlier said the squatting incident took place at No. 14 Apollo St., Barangay Tandang Sora, Quezon City, at about 6:30 a.m. Sunday.

Eleazar said the group was led by Mike Lecera, leader of the group named Apollo Neighborhood Association which is under Kadamay. (Francis T. Wakefield)